Why Study Apologetics?

Ever met a Christian who told you not waste your time studying apologetics? I’ve known some well-meaning, but seriously misinformed believers who look down on the practice of providing evidence for the truth of Christianity. Why learn to give people reasons to believe?

Here’s a quick response:

Because Jesus gave people reasons to believe (See my previous post on this). His disciples followed His example and said that other Christians should do the same thing. That means me. That means you.

For example, Luke was convinced that eyewitness testimony and careful history would help a guy named Theophilus know for sure that the things he learned about Jesus were true. That’s why he wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts (Luke 1:1-4). Jude told believers to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3) when people challenged the truth.

Think about Peter, too. He said Christians should always be ready to give a reason for our faith in Jesus in a way that’s humble and respectful (1 Peter 3:15). Remember Paul? A lot of times, you’d find him in a crowd, explaining and proving that Jesus was the Messiah. And it seems to have done a lot of good. Luke documented this in Acts 17:2-4:

As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

God Uses People who Give Reasons

Contrary to what some Christians say, I see God using people who reason, persuade, and present evidence to lead people to salvation in Christ. So why study apologetics? Because it’s part of being a well-prepared ambassador of Jesus. When people ask questions, let’s be ready with good answers.